There are a lot of people who fail at lifestyle change and weight loss because they are perfectionists. A perfectionist is someone who allows no room for error in their program. Being a perfectionist makes it near impossible to succeed at lifestyle change.

If you are a perfectionist, try living by what I call the 95% rule. Allowing yourself a 5% leeway, for those inevitable occasions when everyone misses a beat or two, will give you the breathing space you need. One method, which can provide you with a controlled breathing space, is called the “Freedom Hour.” Set one hour aside every couple of weeks or once a month when it is OK to eat anything you want – in moderation, that is.

You don’t have to use this freedom hour if you choose not to. As a matter of fact, there is an incredible feeling of power that accompanies skipping this hour. The purpose of this hour, however, is to take the pressure off and defuse the feeling that you can NEVER eat anything that you truly like again. This “free eating” notion comes from the eating disorders clinic at Harvard's McLean Hospital. They report that using an “anti-diet” plan like this with patients led to an 80% decrease in binge eating. The theory is that, if you give yourself permission to eat on occasion, you won’t want that “forbidden” food as much. If overcoming perfectionism is an issue for you, give this a try!